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Troubles with Double Cardan Joint

I have managed to do some semi-serious damage to one of the U-joints in my double cardan. I don't know the name of the littel center-section part, but it pretty much fell apart, and the result is that the body of the double cardan has struck the yoke on the drive shaft and has mangled the hole that the U-joint cup fits into. The joint is okay for now, but when it finally decides to take a bye, I won't be able to replace it, I'll need to have the drive shaft section rebuilt.

This is my second drive shaft, the first one wore out the splines, but is still serviceable as an emergency replacement that will get me home (should the need arise) but the double cardan has never given me trouble. The drive shaft I'm using now has given me trouble with the part that goes between the double U-joints before, and here I am again having more trouble with the same part.

I don't know why the double cardan is having so much trouble. When I replaced my springs a few years ago, I had a clunking that I thought came from the pinion angle, so I put in the spring shims that I had left out -- this proved to be wrong because the spirngs I put on were the same lift as the springs that they replaced, and the old springs didn't need the shims -- but it turns out that the double cardan was the problem. I rebuilt the double cardan, but left the springs shims installed.

Can I have my pinion angle so screwed up that the driveshaft is complaining, or do you think that I just got a bad part that came loose? Also, if the center part of the double cardan came apart (and it certainly did), could that cause the body of the double cardan to flex so far that it is able to strike the yokes on the drive shaft?

I'm off to the store for more U-joints and the center piece, I want you guys to have an answer by the time I get home ...

Reply to
Jeff Strickland
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I eventually learned to take all my universal joint problems to a machine shop. Even if it looks OK to me, these guys know stuff that I don't, and they work with it every day. Funny, when I was younger I knew it all...

Earle

complaining,

Reply to
Earle Horton

Jeff, there's a great driveshaft shop in Vista... I wouldn't even mess with the centering joint.

Jerry

Jeff Strickland wrote:

Reply to
Jerry Bransford

You probably have more money now. I did not have 2 nickels (or pesos) to rub together until after my younger daughter graduated.

Of course, she just told me last Sunday she is engaged so I will be without funds until further notice.

Reply to
Billy Ray

The part you are trying to name is a centering yoke. I replaced one on my 89 XJ before. What a PITA. Be exeptionally careful with the little red cap on the back of the new one. I'd probably just go pull a used shaft from a junkyard XJ, slam 3 $10 U-joints and a $60 centering yoke in it and be done with it. Keep the offending unit as a trail spare.

HTH

Carl

Reply to
Carl

I actually bought the new center yoke and two U-Joints (I need three joints, but one of them has the the yoke holes so mangled that I can't get that joint out.) When I reinstalled the shaft, I noticed that the various yokes very nearly strike one another at normal ride-height, and when the axle drops, then a strike is assured. I have to look at my current Trail Spare (and get it trail worthy) and see if there is an machining difference in the old parts and the new ones that causes the strike opportunities. My old drive shaft did not have the problems with strikes, but the splines have worn out so I bought a new drive shaft a few years ago, and now the worn splines are the Trail Spare.

I could go pull a used shaft from an XJ, but I think it would be about a foot too long to fit my CJ5.

Reply to
Jeff Strickland

Sorry, Jeff, I thought you had an XJ. Can you get an angle finder and measure your pinion angle? I can see the double cardon flexing too far if your angle was *really* bad but I think it would be easy to visually confirm. Is the pinion pointed straight back or is it pointed at the output yoke of the t-case? Can you get some pictures of the pinion, CV joint, ect?

Carl

Reply to
Carl

To be honest, I don't know what the angle is.

I bought my Jeep as it sits, then broke a spring so I replaced them all with the same amount of lift. The driveshaft had worn splines, so I bought a new one. The new one is the one that keeps eating the center joint. The original shaft never gave me a moment of trouble, but it is unable to hold grease anymore, and I was worried that the splines would let go at a very unpleasant moment, or let go and turn a wonderfull moment into one of the most unpleasant imaginable.

In any case, I think the body of the H-yoke and the various other yokes are somehow different shapes by an 1/8 inch or so, and this 1/8 inch is vital.

Reply to
Jeff Strickland

How high is your Jeep lifted? I had 7.5" on my 89 YJ and I did just fine with the 2-joint system on the front. Only XJ's have the double-cardon standard on the front (which is what lead me to belive you had an XJ). If it's in the budget, You might try a new shaft from Tom Wood.

Carl

Reply to
Carl

Sounds like the one your are replacing may have been a high angle shaft maybe?

Reply to
Morrissey

Don't TJs come with double-cardan standard on the front as well? Mine sure did come like that from factory (and the one that was replaced under warranty because the original had developed a bend).

TW

Carl

Reply to
TW

I have a CJ5, so the angle is pretty steep. I have 2.5" of lift.

Remember, my old drive shaft worked fine, the new one is the one that eats center joints. The double cardan, in and of itself, isn't the trouble. There is something unique that I have to figure out.

Reply to
Jeff Strickland

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